The important collection of Egyptian antiquities deposited in
Alnwick Castle was formed by Algernon, 4th Duke of North-
umberland. Before his accession to the Dukedom in 1847 he had
been created Baron Prudhoe in 1816 and passed some years in
Egypt visiting all the principal sites and monuments, and making
a study of the hieroglyphs and of the chronology and history of
Egypt. It was there he became captivated with a love of Egyptian
remains, and acquired the principal part of the collection to which
additions were subsequently made by purchases during sale of
Mr Salt's collection in 1835, Mr J. Burton's in 183G and subsequent
collections of objects offered for private sale or public competition.
Several of the numerous historical monuments which he thus ac-
quired have been published at different times by the late Sir J.
Gardner Wilkinson in his Manners and Customs of the Egyptians
and in some minor works which issued from the pen of that cele-
brated archaeologist. It is from the collection at Alnwick that
many of the illustrations of objects of private life which adorn these
works have been drawn, while many royal names found on scarabsei
and other objects have been used by Professor Lepsius in his
Kbnigsbucli. The collection will be found also to contain other